Electric incinerator heating unit



2 Sheets-Sheet l H. FRIEDBERG ELECTRIC INCINERATOR HEATING UNIT EB Wm..m m e 2 m I|w J l M F July 9, 1957- Filed Jan. 4, 1955- ATTORNEYS July9,195?

H. FRIEDBERG ELECTRIC INCINERATOR HEATING UNIT- I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. HARRY FRIEDBERG FIG. 4

.ATTORN EYS ELECTRIC INCINERATQR HEATHNG UNIT Harry Friedberg,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Waste King Corporation, Los Angeles,Calif., a corporation of ilaln fornia Application January 4, 1955,Serial No. 479,778

4 Claims. (Cl. 21-19) The present invention relates to electricincinerators and, more specifically, to an electric incineratorstructure embodying a new and improved heating assembly.

The invention provides a heating assembly which is inexpensive and easyto service and replace. The assembly is projected into the interior ofthe refuse chamber of the incinerator to more effectively heat thecontents thereof. The operation of the unit is such as to maintainsteady heating and drying out of the contents of the refuse chamber atnormal relatively low radiating temperatures while causing rapid dryingout and burning away of any refuse which may tend to interfere with theheating and drying out of the majority of the refuse by becoming packeddirectly around the unit.

The invention comprises a heating assembly in which a cantilever housingencloses a similarly extending heating element which is spaced from thehousing. The housing normally absorbs and re-radiates at a reducedtemperature the heat produced by the heating element. When directlycontacted by refuse, the housing quickly rises in temperature. Housingtemperature temporarily approaches the temperature of the heating memberto dispose of the contacting refuse. The housing thereupon returns tonormal temperature and continues to radiate throughout the refusechamber under conditions consistent with eflicient performance and longservice life.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from a reading of the following specification which, togetherwith the accompanying drawings, describes one specific embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in cross-section of a refuse incinerator including aheater assembly embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken from line 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed view of the heating assembly seen in Figure 1,with one of the insulating supports removed.

Figure 4 is a view taken from line 44 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view taken from line 5-5 in Figure 3.

The heater assembly contemplated by the invention is shown in Figure 3in position on the panel or wall of a chamber, the contents of which theunit is intended to heat. The unit comprises a housing 11 in which isreceived a heating element 12. The housing is brazed or welded to theflange 13 of a mounting plate 14. The mounting plate 14 is bolted to thewall 10 by bolts which may pass through spacers 15 (Figure 4), the plate14 being thus supported in spaced relation from the wall 10. The boltpassing through the upper spacer 15 also anchors a detent member 16which is positioned on the outer side of the plate 14.

Received within the open end of the housing 11 are a pair of ceramicinsulating support members 17 which are suitably grooved to receive andsupport the ends of the heating element 12. The terminals 18 of theheating a: rd

element 12 are fixed to tabs 19 which are tapped to receive binding postscrews 20 to which are secured the power leads 21. The tabs 19 andbinding post screws 20 are accommodated in the enlarged pockets 22formed in the members 17.

The members 17 are each formed with a semi-circular boss 23 (Figures2-4), the bosses 23 together making up a circular plug received Withinthe open end of the housing 11. The members 17 each have ears or flanges24. The flanges 24 are adapted to be moved into and out of interlockingrelationship with the detent member 16 by rotation together of the twomembers 17.

In Figure 1 is shown an incinerator in which is employed the heatingunit described above. The incinerator has a refuse chamber 40, a casing41' surrounding the refuse chamber and spaced therefrom to define an airjacket space 42, a grate 45 at the bottom of the refuse chamber 411, andan ash drawer 46 below the grate 45. The refuse chamber 40 is vented toa flue 48, to which the air jacket space 42 may also be vented throughan opening or gap 49. An access door 44 is provided in the front of thecasing 41. The power leads 21 run under the incinerator as shown and areconnected to a suitable junction box 25.

The charge to be disposed of is deposited in the refuse chamber 40 bytemporarily lifting a lid 50, and the charge is held away from the flueoutlet by means of a perforated screen or grate 52. Fiberglassinsulation 53 may be included around the inside of the casing 41 tomaintain the outside of the casing cool. It will be seen that thehousing 11, projecting as it does as a stubby cantilever into the refusechamber 40, provides a central source of heat while, at the same time,allowing ready settling of the refuse with a minimum of packing orlodging against the heating unit.

With the heating unit 12 operating at a temperature of about 1000 F.,the housing 11 attains a temperature of about SOC-660 F. and radiatesheat throughout the refuse at this normal temperature to dry out therefuse mass prior to final burn-off. Any refuse which may become packedor lodged against the housing tends to block off radiation throughoutthe refuse chamber from the housing. Because of this cutting-off ofradiation, the temperature of the housing 11 quickly approaches that ofthe heating element 12 and the packed or lodged refuse is quickly driedout and either falls away from the housing 11, being no longer damp andsticky, or ignites and burns off. After the removal of packed or lodgedrefuse, the entire housing resumes normal radiation and normaltemperature.

It is to be noted that the heating element 12 and supporting basemembers 17 may be easily removed from the incinerator through the accessdoor 44. The screw holding the detent member 15 is slightly loosened,the members 17 are rotated until the flanges 24 clear the detent member16, and the sub-assembly is withdrawn to the extent allowed by the leads21.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed above,many details of the embodiment are not necessary to the invention. Thescope of the invention is defined in the following claims,

What is claimed is:

1. An incinerator comprising a refuse chamber to receive and containrefuse to be incinerated, said refuse chamber having a bottom wall andside walls and cover means, a hollow metallic body extending from one ofsaid side walls into said refuse chamber, said body having an open endcommunicating with the outside of said one of said side walls, a pair ofceramic members fitting against each other with a portion of eachfitting into said open end, a heating element clamped between saidceramic members and extending Within said hollow body in spaced relationtherewith, and releasable detent members to normally maintain said pairof ceramic members fitted into said open end with said heating elementclamped therebetween, said detent members quickly releasing said ceramicmembers upon rotation of one of said members.

2. An electric heating unit for use in an incinerator comprising aflange plate, a hollow metal body extending from one side of said flangeplate, said body having an open end which opens through said flangeplate and communicates with the side of said flange plate opposite tosaid one side, a pair of ceramic members fitting against each other witha portion of each fitting into said open end, a heating element clampedbetween said ceramic members and extending within said hollow body inspaced relation therewith, and releasable detent members on said flangeplate to normally maintain said pair of ceramic members fitted into saidopen end with said heating element clamped therebetween, said detentmembers quickly releasing said ceramic members upon rotation of one ofsaid members.

3. An electric heating unit for use in an incinerator comprising aflange plate, a hollow metal body extending from one side of said flangeplate, said body having an open end which opens through said flangeplate and communicates with the side of said flange plate opposite tosaid one side, a pair of ceramic members fitting against each other todefine a split body having a boss portion fitted into said open end ofsaid hollow body, said split body having a projecting portion outsidesaid hollow body with shoulders engaging said flange plate and outerflanges adjacent said shoulders and extending partially around theperiphery of said split body, a heating element clamped between saidceramic members and extending within said hollow body in spaced relationtherewith, and releasable detent means on said flange plate andengaging, said outer flanges to normally maintain said pair of ceramicmembers fitted into said open end with said heating element clampedtherebetween.

4. An electric heating unit for use in an incinerator having side wallsand comprising a hollow metal body secured to one of said walls andextending into said incinerator, said body having an end opening towardthe outside, a pair of ceramic members fitting against each other todefine a split body having a boss portion fitted into said open end ofsaid hollow body, said split body having a projecting portion outsidesaid hollow body provided with outer flange means extending partiallyaround the periphery of said split body, said outer flange meanslimiting movement of said ceramic members into said hollow body, aheating element clamped between said ceramic members and extendingwithin said hollow body in spaced relation therewith, and releasabledetent means carried on said one side wall and engaging said outerflange means to normally maintain said pair of ceramic members fittedinto said open end with said heating element clamped therebetween.

References Cited in the file of'this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,650,624 Glitzke Nov. 29, 1927 1,680,404 Woodson Aug. 14, 19281,731,120 Abbott Oct. 8, 1929 1,921,047 Sword Aug. 8, 1933 2,618,731Bremer Nov. 18, 1952 2,624,829 Dzaack Jan. 6, 1953 2,701,294 Hebert Feb.1, 1955

